The Start of Everything
by Uozumi
Summary: She has a target and revels in his reactions and the surprises he brings. She would like to think that it might bring her love, but she doesn't believe in the word. ShikamaruTemari


**Title** _The Start of Everything_  
**Author** Uozumi  
**Genre** General/Romance  
**Rating** PG-13  
**Disclaimer** I do not own nor claim to own this. The characters, ect...contained within are not my property. This is an act of fandom and I do not make a profit from this endeavor. I also do not own the song contained within, it is property of its respective owner(s).  
**Summary** She has a target and revels in his reactions and the surprises he brings. She would like to think that it might bring her love, but she doesn't believe in the word. Shikamaru/Temari

**_The Start of Everything_**

At first, he was simply an opponent, someone who she was facing on the battlefield. The oldest of the siblings soon began to see potential in the youth she fought and she began to seek him out. Nara Shikamaru at first glance was nothing and wouldn't amount to anything. He was a lazy bum and wasn't afraid to say something chauvinistic because he preferred honesty over lies. He frequented a grassy hill in a secluded part of his village. He would lie back and watch the clouds, his thoughts guarded, his face showing nothing but a blank expression. She started by watching him from a perch in a nearby tree. She would look up at the sky and try to figure out what was so engrossing about the clouds passing overhead, but she saw nothing. They were the same to her, each and every cloud. They were all puffy and white, all August clouds.

After watching him another day, she finally jumped down from the tree and approached him. She of course asked him how he was and added on the word "crybaby" to show that she wasn't here to start something. At least, that's how she saw it. To her, "crybaby" was just a joke, something that she only called him to his face, always with a slightly playful tone. She sat down with him and pulled her legs up and rested an arm on her knees, chin on the palm of her hand as she surveyed him. He was still lying there staring up at the clouds blankly. She watched him until he developed a slight twitch in his eye and then demanded to know what she wanted. She only laughed and said something flirtatious. He was fun to tease.

She didn't stay many days after that, the Chûnin exams were over and her team had to return to Suna for more training in hopes of becoming Chûnin at the next exam which was in a year. He came as their "escort" to show them out of the village. She hung back slightly as the group from the Village of the Sand departed. He gave her one of his looks and then she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. She pulled back and smirked at the expression on his face before giving him a small wave. "Crybaby." Her smirk widened at his indignant snort.

They met again about only months later, the ninja of the Sand coming to their aid when one of their comrades willingly let himself be taken by the Atatsuki. She didn't get to spend much time with him, but she did save his tail. After helping retrieve the Leaf Genin who were scattered about the countryside outside the city limits of Konoha, she had only one day to spend with him before she had to return home to continue training. They spent the evening in silence out on the hill and stayed well into the night. It wasn't uncomfortable at all, which was what made it disquieting to her. When she knew she had to leave to return to Suna that morning with her group, he said he would rather stay at the hill when she asked if he was going to walk with her. She watched him for the longest moment and then kissed him. It wasn't hard or forceful, but soft and lingering. She pulled back and stuck her tongue out at him before bidding him farewell and leaving him to his clouds.

She returned with her team for the Chûnin exams a few months later, hoping that they wouldn't fail a second time. After checking in, she left the group, no one noticing her absence and escaped off to the hill. No one was there. Stepping out of the trees, she walked across it to where normally he would be. She never bothered to know where else he haunted, but he would come here eventually. He could be off on a mission for all she knew. Lying back, she looked up at the clouds and squinted her eyes. She felt foolish, but still there had to be something in them. If there wasn't, who would bother staring up at them aimlessly wasting away most their life?

She closed her eyes, wondering if he was going to come and why she was even still there. She heard footsteps and kept her eyes closed, her body ready to spring up and attack if that became necessary. The walk had a shuffle to it and took its time. It wasn't being deliberately quiet and it didn't seem to have intent either. Her eyes opened slightly and then all the way. It was only him. "Hey," she said and then twisted her neck to watch him sit down to her right where he normally sat.

"Hey," he returned and then laid back as usual, his eyes watching the clouds as the sky darkened around the edges.

They laid there for the longest time and then she rolled over so that her stomach was on the ground and she could look at his face. She had a long blade of grass in her mouth and a scrutinizing look on her features. One of her legs swayed slightly in the air, the other stretched out on the ground.

"What?" He glanced at her, agitation etched on his face.

She made the blade of grass go up and down as her lips curled up into a smirk. "Aren't you glad to see me?"

He snorted and looked away.

She grinned. He was glad to see her. She could tell. She took the blade of grass out of her mouth now that it was getting bitter and then dangled it over his face, trying to get him to look at her again. After a while, she stopped and frowned. "What's with you?"

"Nothing."

She snorted and sat up, wiping the grass off her uniform. She wanted to challenge him, but decided against it. He was a Chûnin after all and whatever was bothering him, most likely was something he couldn't tell her. She rested one side of her face on the palm of her right hand, her left hand lazy running across the collar of his mesh shirt, sliding her finger in the other direction when she touched one of the edges of his vest collar. She didn't have to look at his face to know his reaction. She could tell by his posture and the rise and fall of his chest how he was reacting. Without thinking, she grabbed the edges of his collars and slid onto him, kissing him, and giving in. That was the start of everything.

**The End**


End file.
